Catalonia | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/catalonia
Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015Tue, 03 Mar 2015 21:30:03 GMT2015-03-03T21:30:03Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015The Guardianhttp://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttp://www.theguardian.com
Barcelona bar toasts experience by hiring waiters aged over 50http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/mar/01/madrid-style-bar-in-barcelona-hires-waiters-aged-over-50
<p>Entrepanes Díaz seeks to hire waiters with experience who see service as a profession, bucking local trends for low pay and young staff</p><p>“After four and half years without work it was unbelievable. Totally unexpected, when you’re over 50, to get a glimpse of a little bit of light. No one wants people who are 53 years old,” say Rafael, immaculate in waistcoat and bow tie, behind the bar of Entrepanes D&iacute;az in Barcelona.</p><p>Rafael’s glimpse of light came when a friend told him that a new bar was opening and that the owner was looking for staff who were over 50.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/mar/01/madrid-style-bar-in-barcelona-hires-waiters-aged-over-50">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaCataloniaSpainYouth unemploymentUnemploymentRestaurantsBars and clubsEuropeFood & drinkMon, 02 Mar 2015 11:33:43 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/mar/01/madrid-style-bar-in-barcelona-hires-waiters-aged-over-50Photograph: Francesca Nocivelli for the GuardianA customer in Entrepanes Diaz.Photograph: Francesca Nocivelli for the GuardianA customer in Entrepanes Diaz.Photograph: Francesca NocivelliRafael, behind the bar of Entrepanes Díaz, Barcelona.Photograph: Francesca NocivelliRafael, behind the bar of Entrepanes Díaz, Barcelona.Stephen Burgen in Barcelona2015-03-02T11:33:43ZOne big affirmation of life: Sam Clark’s final meal | Last Biteshttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/06/one-big-affirmation-life-sam-clark-final-meal-last-bites
<p>The chef and co-owner of Moro bows out with a Catalan onion festival where everyone is dressed in medieval garb</p><p><strong>A last meal should be about friends, frivolity and copious alcohol</strong>. So I think I’d head to Bal in Catalonia, at the beginning of the year, for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal%C3%A7ot"><em>cal&ccedil;otada</em></a>.</p><p><strong>This is a festival of calcots, or spring onions </strong>– around now, in late January or early February – that lasts from morning until night. They set up barbecues on the cobbled streets, and grill the onions over charcoal for you to dip into romesco sauce, made with peppers, almonds and hazelnuts. There’s a lovely optimism in celebration of the year’s first crop.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/06/one-big-affirmation-life-sam-clark-final-meal-last-bites">Continue reading...</a>Food & drinkLife and styleChefsCataloniaSpainFri, 06 Feb 2015 12:30:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/06/one-big-affirmation-life-sam-clark-final-meal-last-bitesPhotograph: Emma Lee/GuardianPhotograph: Emma Lee/GuardianInterview by Dale Berning Sawa2015-02-06T12:30:00ZChef Sergi Blanco on Can Vallés, Barcelonahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/28/can-valles-reataurant-barcelona-sergi-blanco
Every time the Michelin-starred chef visits Barcelona, this superb traditional restaurant is sure to get a visit<p>A family member in Barcelona first took me to this restaurant about 10 years ago. She knows I like to eat wild rabbit, and she told me she’d found a place that has an amazing recipe for pickled hare. It’s quite a traditional restaurant in the uptown Eixample area and they like to follow the roots of the recipes then play around with the presentation and add a twist to them.</p><p>But they don’t take risks with the taste, and preserve those well known Barcelona flavours. They have a lobster with chickpea soup that’s fantastic and they like to serve game in winter. They also serve old-style hare with black truffle sauce and the homemade cannelloni with pig trotters is amazing.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/28/can-valles-reataurant-barcelona-sergi-blanco">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaTravelCataloniaSpainRestaurantsEuropeRestaurantsFood & drinkLife and styleWed, 28 Jan 2015 13:08:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/28/can-valles-reataurant-barcelona-sergi-blancoPhotograph: prPhotograph: prSergi Blanco2015-01-28T13:08:05ZThe foodie traveller … on knowing your calçots (onions) in Cataloniahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/11/calcots-food-festival-catalonia-spring-onions
<p>The <em>calçotada</em> is a Catalan winter food festival that involves giant spring onions and red wine poured into the mouth from a great height. As you might guess, it’s a messy affair</p><p>The Catalans don’t have a reputation as the most fun-loving bunch. The rest of Spain would probably describe them as hardworking and businesslike, but also tight and uptight. Their detractors have clearly never been to a <em>cal&ccedil;otada</em>, a barbecue meal unique to the area and devoted to a variety of giant spring onion. Groups of friends and family dissolve into giggles and laughter as they gather round tables set out in courtyards, put on silly paper bibs and get down and dirty with a <em>cal&ccedil;ot</em>.</p><p>First, the fire-blackened outer layer of the onion is pulled away to reveal a juicy white core. Then the tip is dipped into <em>romesco</em> (nut and red pepper) sauce and the dripping cal&ccedil;ot is lowered into the mouth in one go. You repeat this two or three dozen times. Do it badly and your face, hands and neck end up a black and red mess. Do it well and, er, it’s about the same.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/11/calcots-food-festival-catalonia-spring-onions">Continue reading...</a>CataloniaBarcelonaFood and drinkSpanish food and drinkTravelRestaurantsRestaurantsFood & drinkSun, 11 Jan 2015 07:00:10 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/11/calcots-food-festival-catalonia-spring-onionsPhotograph: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyDown in one: eating calçots in Catalonia. Photographs: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyDown in one: eating calçots in Catalonia. Photographs: AlamyRichard Eilers2015-01-11T07:00:10ZFood, beauty, anarchy: new guided tours of Barcelona by the localshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/dec/04/trip4real-barcelona-guided-tours-locals
<p>Barcelona is full of tourist traps, but new, bespoke walking tours, operated by locals – and backed by superstar chef Ferran Adrià – offer a glimpse into the hidden life of the city</p><p>The square outside the <a href="http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/">Sagrada Fam&iacute;lia</a> is thronged with tourist groups basking in the warmth of the October afternoon. I, too, am part of a group, but there’s a difference. There are just two of us – myself and my 80-year-old mother – and our guide, a young Catalan called Eloi, who works for <a href="http://www.trip4real.com/">trip4real,</a> an innovative company offering bespoke experiences for travellers who want to move beyond the herd.</p><p>Eloi makes a speciality of little-known facts and he does enjoy an anecdote. Last year, 3.1 million people visited the Catalan architect’s unfinished masterpiece, he says. As we admire the soaring facade, he points out, in his idiomatic English, “See the guy there, leaning over the Virgin? That’s the Angel Gabriel, and what he’s saying is, ‘Y’know, Maria darling, this may be a shock to you, but somehow you’re gonna have a baby.’”</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/dec/04/trip4real-barcelona-guided-tours-locals">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaTravelCity breaksShort breaksFood and drinkFerran AdriàEuropeSpainCataloniaCataloniaThu, 04 Dec 2014 06:00:09 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/dec/04/trip4real-barcelona-guided-tours-localsPhotograph: PRTrip4real’s guides are a mix of freelancers and professionals. The site specialises in tours for small groupsPhotograph: PRTrip4real’s guides are a mix of freelancers and professionals. The site specialises in tours for small groupsPhotograph: PRTrip4real has gone from being a tiny operation run from a flat to a a business with eight staff and 20,000 users in 50 citiesPhotograph: PRTrip4real has gone from being a tiny operation run from a flat to a a business with eight staff and 20,000 users in 50 citiesPhotograph: PR“They taste like a piece of the ocean!” At a seafood stall on a Trip4real foodie tourPhotograph: PR“They taste like a piece of the ocean!” At a seafood stall on a Trip4real foodie tourPhotograph: PRA trip4real tour at the Sagrada Família, BarcelonaPhotograph: PRA trip4real tour at the Sagrada Família, BarcelonaPaul Richardson2014-12-04T06:00:09ZHow Barcelona's homeless are guiding tourists round the city's underbellyhttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/oct/22/barcelona-homeless-guides-tourists-city-underbelly-hidden-tours
<p>One organisation in Spain’s most popular tourist destination is employing homeless people as tour guides to offer an alternative view of the city</p><p>Juan knows Barcelona’s downtown very well; he has spent four years sleeping rough on its streets. An incident with drugs had brought about his deportation from Germany, where he was subsequently banned from living or working for a decade. </p><p>The Andalusian found himself all alone, back in a country that was no less strange despite being his original home. “My parents and sister were still in Germany, where our family moved when I was six,” he says. “So the plan was to stay here for a while and then move to the Netherlands, where I would at least be a three-hour car ride away from them. But then I ran out of money.” <br /></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/oct/22/barcelona-homeless-guides-tourists-city-underbelly-hidden-tours">Continue reading...</a>CitiesHomelessnessBarcelonaSpainSocial exclusionCataloniaEuropeHousingCommunitiesSocietyWorld newsWed, 22 Oct 2014 08:59:55 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/oct/22/barcelona-homeless-guides-tourists-city-underbelly-hidden-toursPhotograph: PRJuan, who spent four years living on the streets where he is now a tour guidePhotograph: PRJuan, who spent four years living on the streets where he is now a tour guidePhotograph: PRThe Hidden City tour guides with founder Lisa GracePhotograph: PRThe Hidden City tour guides with founder Lisa GracePhotograph: PRHidden City Tours: who better to show you around the streets of Barcelona than someone who has lived on those very streets?Photograph: PRHidden City Tours: who better to show you around the streets of Barcelona than someone who has lived on those very streets?Marta Arias2014-10-22T08:59:55ZCheap city breaks – flights for under £50: Girona, Spainhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/04/girona-spain-cheap-flight-under-50-pounds
<p>Just over an hour’s drive from Barcelona, but with its own airport, the ancient city of Girona is like a bite-size version of the Catalan capital – bright and lively but also easy-going<br><strong>• More cheap city breaks: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/04/cheap-city-breaks-flights-under-50-pounds-dublin-ireland">Dublin, Ireland</a>, and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/04/cheap-city-break-flights-under-50-pounds-beziers-france">Béziers, France</a></strong></p><p>Flights with <a href="http://www.ryanair.com/">Ryanair</a> from Bournemouth to Girona cost from &pound;46* return, including taxes, for the weekend of 17-19 October. The company also flies from Bristol, Stansted, Luton and Manchester.<br />* <em>Fares correct on 30 September, according to skyscanner.net</em></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/04/girona-spain-cheap-flight-under-50-pounds">Continue reading...</a>CataloniaSpainCity breaksShort breaksWeekend breaksTravelCultural tripsFood and drinkSpanish food and drinkSat, 04 Oct 2014 06:00:34 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/oct/04/girona-spain-cheap-flight-under-50-poundsPhotograph: PREl Celler de Can Roca, Girona.Photograph: PREl Celler de Can Roca, Girona.Photograph: Stefano Politi Markovina/ AWL Im/Getty Images/AWL Images RMGirona’s modernist architecture is just one of its many highlights. Photograph: Stefano Politi Markovina/AWL Im/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Stefano Politi Markovina/ AWL Im/Getty Images/AWL Images RMGirona’s modernist architecture is just one of its many highlights. Photograph: Stefano Politi Markovina/AWL Im/Getty ImagesWill Coldwell2014-10-04T06:00:34ZInstagram snapshots – the Costa Brava, Spainhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2014/sep/13/costa-brava-spain-in-pictures
<p>Great beaches, fantastic seafood and a visit to the home of Salvador Dalí … in the first of our Instagram travel trips, Guardian picture editor Ranjit Dhaliwal explores the Costa Brava<br></p><p><strong>• Share your travels in Instagram pictures with a series of three snaps, plus captions, by adding #guardiantravelsnaps</strong></p><p><strong>• Follow us on Instagram at <a href="http://instagram.com/guardiantravelsnaps">guardiantravelsnaps</a></strong></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2014/sep/13/costa-brava-spain-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a>SpainCataloniaTravelSalvador DalíEuropeSat, 13 Sep 2014 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2014/sep/13/costa-brava-spain-in-picturesPhotograph: Photograph: Ranjit Dhaliwal for the Guardian/Photograph: Ranjit Dhaliwal for the GuardianA busy beach in Llafranc, Costa Brava, Spain.Photograph: Photograph: Ranjit Dhaliwal for the Guardian/Photograph: Ranjit Dhaliwal for the GuardianA busy beach in Llafranc, Costa Brava, Spain.Ranjit Dhaliwal2014-09-13T06:00:00ZEatWith: how to find a supper club around the worldhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/21/eatwith-barcelona-supper-club-scene
EatWith is a clever new website that allows visitors to eat in locals' homes. Vicky Baker tries it out in Barcelona, the city where it all began<p>As I wander down a&nbsp;dark, narrow street in Gr&agrave;cia, one of Barcelona's northern neighbourhoods, I am not sure that I'm&nbsp;in the right place. Then I spot a strange scene that assures me I haven't taken a wrong turn. Through a townhouse's wide glass doors, I spy six expectant-looking people sitting around a long table, while a man at the back is carefully arranging a row of plates on a&nbsp;makeshift bar.</p><p>&quot;Is&nbsp;this EatWith?&quot; I ask tentatively, but I already know the answer.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/21/eatwith-barcelona-supper-club-scene">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaFood and drinkRestaurantsCataloniaSpainEuropeTravelSpanish food and drinkRestaurantsFood & drinkLife and styleSat, 21 Jun 2014 06:00:06 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/21/eatwith-barcelona-supper-club-scenePRXabi preparing food for his dinner partyPRMiquel hosting an EatWith evening.EatWithGuests at an EatWith supper club event in Barcelona, the website's official launch cityEatWithGuests at an EatWith supper club event in Barcelona, the website's official launch cityVicky Baker2014-06-21T06:00:06ZTop 10 free things to do in Barcelonahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/17/top-10-free-things-to-do-in-barcelona
<p>From<i> </i> Gaudi and Picasso to street parties and outdoor movies, we pick the best attractions and local haunts to help you enjoy Barcelona for free<br></p><p>See our guides to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/apr/09/top-10-free-things-to-do-in-new-york">New York for free</a> and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/mar/25/top-10-free-things-to-do-paris">Paris for free</a><br></p><ul><li><strong> Is there anything we've missed? Tell us your favourite free things to do in Barcelona in the comments below</strong></li></ul><p>Barcelona is the birthplace and cradle of Catalan modernism from the late-19th and early-20th-century, and modernist architecture can be seen all over the city. Its main exponent was Antoni Gaud&iacute;, designer of <a href="http://www.parkguell.cat">Park G&uuml;ell </a> - the jewel in Barcelona's modernist crown. The city recently introduced a €7 entry fee for the park, but you can still see some of his masterpieces from the outside: Casa Batll&oacute; and La Pedrera are both spectacular examples. Check out the <a href="http://www.rutadelmodernisme.com/default.aspx?idioma=en&amp;contenido=body_rutamodernisme_01en.htm">Modernism Route</a> website for details on where to find buildings not just by Gaud&iacute; but also by other key modernis t architects, such as Llu&iacute;s Dom&egrave;nech i Montaner (who designed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palau_de_la_M%C3%BAsica_Catalana">Palau de la M&uacute;sica Catalana</a>) and Josep Puig i Cadafalch.</p><p><a href="http://www.cccb.org/en/marc-gandules-40665">cccb.org/en/marc-gandules-40665</a>; <i><i>Els vespres de la UB: from 1 July to 17 July, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 585, </i></i><a href="http://www.ub.edu/vespres/">ub.edu/vespres</a></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/17/top-10-free-things-to-do-in-barcelona">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaTravelCataloniaEuropeSpainBudget travelShort breaksCity breaksWeekend breaksArchitectureAntoni GaudíTue, 17 Jun 2014 05:00:01 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/17/top-10-free-things-to-do-in-barcelonaPhotograph: flickrStroll on... Carretera de les Aigües trail. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27967393@N03/4341506935/">stickair/flickr</a>Photograph: flickrStroll on... Carretera de les Aigües trail. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27967393@N03/4341506935/">stickair/flickr</a>Photograph: JULIAN MARTIN/EPAPicasso Museum. Photograph: Julian Martin/EPAPhotograph: JULIAN MARTIN/EPAPicasso Museum. Photograph: Julian Martin/EPAPhotograph: Andrea Ciambra/flickrWalls of the church in Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tchacky/8178327687/">Andrea Ciambra/flickr</a>Photograph: Andrea Ciambra/flickrWalls of the church in Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tchacky/8178327687/">Andrea Ciambra/flickr</a>Photograph: AlamyBarceloneta beach. Photograph: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyBarceloneta beach. Photograph: AlamyPhotograph: Cinema LliurePhotograph: Cinema LliurePhotograph: Cinema LliurePhotograph: Cinema LliurePhotograph: Alain Rouiller/flickrRent a boat in Parc de la Ciutadella. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alainrouiller/8251423211/">Alain Rouiller/flickr</a>Photograph: Alain Rouiller/flickrRent a boat in Parc de la Ciutadella. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alainrouiller/8251423211/">Alain Rouiller/flickr</a>Photograph: flickrVerdi street in Gràcia decorated as an urban forest. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/52124668@N02/4894823865/">Photogra Pher/flickr</a>Photograph: flickrVerdi street in Gràcia decorated as an urban forest. Photograph: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/52124668@N02/4894823865/">Photogra Pher/flickr</a>Photograph: Peter Bowater/AlamyLa Boqueria market. Photograph: Peter Bowater/AlamyPhotograph: Peter Bowater/AlamyLa Boqueria market. Photograph: Peter Bowater/AlamyPhotograph: jpique/Getty ImagesMasterpiece of modernism... Gaudi's La Pedrera building. Photograph: jpique/Getty ImagesPhotograph: jpique/Getty ImagesMasterpiece of modernism... Gaudi's La Pedrera building. Photograph: jpique/Getty ImagesMarta Bausells2014-06-17T05:00:01ZTen stylish self-catering holiday lets in Spainhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/may/24/spain-top-10-stylish-rentals
They're not cheap but these cool Spanish casas from accommodation website i-escape offer good value (all under £150 a night, some sleeping four) given how fabulously stylish they are<p>Rooms in Dar Hajra – which means &quot;House of the Rocks&quot; – are sculpted around a limestone outcrop just above Montecorto, a sleepy village near Ronda's busy streets and tempting bodegas. With a double bedroom, a big kitchen-diner, a handful of terraces with breathtaking panoramas, and a romantic infinity pool, any couple will struggle to leave this delectable retreat.<br /><em>• From &pound;134 a night, sleeps two (minimum seven nights)</em></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/may/24/spain-top-10-stylish-rentals">Continue reading...</a>SpainTravelSelf-cateringTop 10sEuropeAndaluciaCataloniaSat, 24 May 2014 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/may/24/spain-top-10-stylish-rentalsPRPRInfinity and beyond … Dar Hajra, near Ronda, Andalucía, southern SpainPRGuardian Staff2014-05-24T06:00:00ZSitges … with kids? Our family wouldn't holiday anywhere elsehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/may/23/sitges-catalonia-family-holiday-spain
Sitges, the seaside resort near Barcelona, is famous for its vibrant gay nightlife but William Cook finds its laid-back vibe makes it just perfect for family holidays, too<p>My brother-in-law was the first one to tell me about Sitges. He'd been there with his boyfriend and thought my wife and I would like it. I must admit I&nbsp;was a bit surprised; all I knew was that it was a gay resort near Barcelona and was famous for its nightlife. My wife, Sophie, was pregnant and we both needed a holiday but we were hardly in the mood for raucous nightlife – gay or straight. Surely this was the last place we should be going?</p><p>We were wrong. We went for a week and had a great time. It was easy to get there – only 16 miles from Barcelona airport. It was remarkably attractive – lots of historic buildings, from Renaissance to art nouveau. The beach was damn near perfect – a broad sweep of vanilla sand, sheltered by a&nbsp;ring of green rolling hills (the Garraf massif) – and yet somehow Sitges hadn't been overwhelmed by tourism. It still felt like a working town.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/may/23/sitges-catalonia-family-holiday-spain">Continue reading...</a>CataloniaFamily holidaysBeach holidaysSpainEuropeTravelFri, 23 May 2014 10:59:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/may/23/sitges-catalonia-family-holiday-spainPublic DomainSitges old townPRLa Masia restaurantAlamyWindmills in Consuegra. Photograph: AlamyJekaterina Nikitina/Getty Images/Flickr RMThe shoreline of Sitges. Photograph: Jekaterina Nikitina/GettyJekaterina Nikitina/Getty Images/Flickr RMThe shoreline of Sitges. Photograph: Jekaterina Nikitina/GettyWilliam Cook2014-05-23T10:59:00ZBarcelona's Casa Lleó i Morera opens to the publichttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/20/barcelona-casa-lleo-i-morera-open-public
The Lluís Domènech-designed house, in one of Barcelona's famed modernista blocks, has been restored and now offers tours of its ornate first floor in Catalan, Spanish and English<br /><br /><strong>Find more places to visit, hotels, great restaurants and bars in our Barcelona city guide</strong><p>Architecture lovers have a new reason to visit Barcelona as one of the city's most important <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernisme" title="">modernista</a> buildings, <a href="http://www.casalleomorera.com/" title="">Casa Lle&oacute; i Morera</a>, opens to the public.</p><p>The building, on Passeig de Gr&agrave;cia in the Eixample neighbourhood, has started to run guided tours through its ornate first floor, one that represents some of the finest craftsmanship of the early 20th century.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/20/barcelona-casa-lleo-i-morera-open-public">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaCataloniaSpainEuropeTravelArchitectureModernismArt and designThu, 20 Feb 2014 13:12:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/20/barcelona-casa-lleo-i-morera-open-publicRosine Mazin/PhotononstopStained glass is one of the Casa Lleo i Morera's many eye-catching features. Photograph: Rosine Mazin/PhotononstopAlamyCasa Lleó i Morera on Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona. Photograph: AlamyAlamyCasa Lleó i Morera on Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona. Photograph: AlamyAndrew Allen2014-02-20T13:12:00ZBarn conversion, Malawi style: readers' travel writing competition 2013http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/nov/22/malawi-volunteer-barn-conversion
Unable to afford the expat rent in Malawi, volunteer Olivia Swann, winner of the <strong>culture category</strong>, adapts her expectations – and her home. Scroll down to the see the runner-up<p></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/nov/22/malawi-volunteer-barn-conversion">Continue reading...</a>MalawiTravel writing competitionTravelAfricaCataloniaCultural tripsFri, 22 Nov 2013 21:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/nov/22/malawi-volunteer-barn-conversionOlivia SwannAnimal house … Olivia's home, pre-conversion, in Malawi. Photograph: Olivia SwannOlivia SwannAnimal house … Olivia's new home in Malawi. Photograph: Olivia SwannGuardian readers2013-11-22T21:00:00ZGaudí's Catalan shadow: the art of Josep Maria Jujolhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jun/03/jujol-architecture-tour-barcelona-catalonia-gaudi
Antoni Gaudí is Barcelona's most famous son but one of his collaborators, Jujol, created buildings with a lighter touch, and humour, in its surrounding villages. Richard Eilers takes a tour<p>The old man fiddled with the keys, peered rheumily in turn at three or four, then with a grunt chose one. The key slipped into the ornate ironwork keyhole and the door opened. I stepped into a deep gloom and the caretaker shuffled off through the darkness.</p><p>A few seconds later, with the clank of ancient switches being thrown, the lights came on one by one. First, an extravagantly decorated wall emerged, then an outrageous chandelier and finally a soaring roof. The work of architect, sculptor and painter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josep_Maria_Jujol" title="">Josep Maria Jujol</a> was revealed.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jun/03/jujol-architecture-tour-barcelona-catalonia-gaudi">Continue reading...</a>CataloniaBarcelonaSpainHeritageEuropeTravelArchitectureModernismArt and designCultureCultural tripsAntoni GaudíMon, 03 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jun/03/jujol-architecture-tour-barcelona-catalonia-gaudiPRJujol’s Santuari de Montserrat, in Catalonia, sits like a fairytale castle on a hillPRJujol’s Santuari de Montserrat, in Catalonia, sits like a fairytale castle on a hillRichard Eilers2013-06-03T06:00:00Z10 of the best rural retreats in Spainhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/spain-cottage-hotels-self-catering-accommodation
From mountain village B&amp;Bs to renovated farms, yurts and even a rectory, Alastair Sawday chooses 10 hideaways in rural Spain to escape the crowds<p>The name tells something of its history: the characterful building that houses the restaurant was once a cinema, and the stage with the big screen remains. Located in a hamlet, with a church and a pretty square, the restaurant is on one side of the square, with the bedrooms across the street in a stone building with white beams, white walls, crisp-linen beds and a minimalist feel. Splash out on the suites with big windows. Pine cliffs, sandy beaches and sparkling coves are a 10-minute drive away.<br /><em>• +34 972 306270, </em><a href="http://hoteldelteatre.com/" title=""><em>hoteldelteatre.com</em></a><em>, doubles from €95 a night, including breakfast</em></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/spain-cottage-hotels-self-catering-accommodation">Continue reading...</a>SpainBed and breakfastsHotelsSelf-cateringTravelAndaluciaCataloniaTop 10sCampingCottagesFri, 15 Mar 2013 21:00:03 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/spain-cottage-hotels-self-catering-accommodationPRPRHotel del Teatre in Catalonia was once a cinema, and the stage with the big screen remainsPRHotel del Teatre, Regencós, CataloniaAlastair Sawday2013-03-15T21:00:03ZFrom boat to cookery school on the Costa Bravahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/fish-cookery-school-costa-brava-palamos-spain
At a new cookery school, part of the fish museum in the small port of Palamos on Spain's Costa Brava, Andrew Allen gets a taste of the area's finest seafood cuisine<p>Ramon, fisherman and chef, is demonstrating how to make <em>arr&ograve;s a la cassola de l'Empord&agrave;,</em> a take on paella that is local to this area, on the Costa Brava. He starts by saut&eacute;ing some nostril-tantalising shrimp and sausage, then adds mussels, squid, rice and stock and leaves it all simmering. Looking out over the Costa Brava's leading fishing port while a fisherman prepares a four-course seafood meal in front of your eyes is guaranteed to sharpen the appetite. To my great relief, and that of fellow participants in this unusual cooking demo, we don't have to wait until the rice is cooked. There's an octopus salad already prepared to keep our hunger at bay.</p><p>We're at the Espai del Peix (Fish Place) in Palamos, on the coast near Girona. Fishing is big business here. Last year, Palamos's fleet brought in around 1,500 tonnes of fish and seafood, including the highly sought-after Palamos red prawn. From the quantity lined up, it looks like we're about to eat a good part of that catch.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/fish-cookery-school-costa-brava-palamos-spain">Continue reading...</a>SpainSpanish food and drinkFood and drinkLearning holidaysCataloniaFishTravelFood & drinkFri, 15 Mar 2013 21:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/fish-cookery-school-costa-brava-palamos-spainAlamyA red fishing boat in the harbour of Palamos – fishing is big business in this Costa Brava town. Photograph: AlamyAlamyPalamos harbour on Spain's Costa Brava. Photograph: AlamyAndrew AllenChef Ramon cooks the catch from off Spain's Costa Brava. Photograph: Andrew AllenAlamyPalamos harbour on Spain's Costa Brava. Photograph: AlamyAndrew Allen2013-03-15T21:00:00ZCelebrating Catalonia's independent spirithttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/barcelona-catalonia-spain-culture-independence
With Catalonia poised to decide in tomorrow's election just how keen it is on independence from Spain, <strong>Matthew Tree</strong> celebrates the 'country's' unique identity<p>My first few evenings in Catalonia, back in the late 1970s, were a little disconcerting. As an unworldly young Brit I had trouble getting down the starter of saltfish salad, called <em>esqueixada</em>, and the main courses were often a weird local combination of insect-like crayfish and once-cute rabbit.</p><p>I was glad, though, of the anaesthetisingly heavy table wines of western Catalonia: they helped me cope with the initially unnerving way in which Catalans of both sexes touched each other (and me) the whole time as an extension of their conversation, which was carried out on an equally unnerving basis of constant interruption.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/barcelona-catalonia-spain-culture-independence">Continue reading...</a>CataloniaSpainCataloniaTravelBarcelonaFri, 23 Nov 2012 23:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/barcelona-catalonia-spain-culture-independenceBenedetta Rusconi/SIME/4cornersimagesBuilding <em>castells</em> (human towers) is a uniquely Catalan tradition that began in the 18th century near Tarragona. Photograph: Benedetta Rusconi/SIME/4cornersimagesBenedetta Rusconi/SIME/4cornersimagesBuilding <em>castells</em> (human towers) is a uniquely Catalan traditon that began in the 18th-century near Tarragona. Photograph: Benedetta Rusconi/SIME/4cornersimagesMatthew Tree2012-11-23T23:00:00ZCatalonia hotels: five new places to stay in and near Barcelonahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/new-hotels-barcelona-catalonia-spain
From a swanky new boat-hotel to treehouses and glass cubes tucked into a remote hillside, these super-stylish hotels in Barcelona and beyond are all eye-catchers<p>Economic meltdown in Europe may not have halted the flow of visitors to Barcelona and beyond, but the hotel industry is finding ever more inventive and eye-catching ways to take a slice of the tourist pie.</p><p>Bedevilled by delays, purpose-built floating hotel <strong>Sunborn Barcelona</strong> (+34 93 364 4040, <a href="http://sunbornbarcelona.com/" title="">sunbornbarcelona.com</a>) is expected to open at the beginning of 2013, as part of the new marina in the F&ograve;rum area, to the north of the city. Described as a &quot;yacht&quot;, but with the proportions of a cruise liner, this sleek behemoth will have 180 luxurious rooms and suites and everything you'd expect in a five-star hotel: spa, swimming pool, gym, restaurants, cocktail bar and club. Set in the business district of the city, the Sunborn offers little by way of nearby sightseeing, but with countless decks and terraces looking over the Med, it is not without its compensations.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/new-hotels-barcelona-catalonia-spain">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaHotelsCataloniaSpainShort breaksWeekend breaksCity breaksTravelFri, 23 Nov 2012 22:45:11 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/new-hotels-barcelona-catalonia-spainPRSunborn Barcelona, purpose-built floating hotel, is due to open next yearPRSunborn BarcelonaSally Davies2012-11-23T22:45:11ZCheap tapas bars in Barcelonahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/barcelona-cheap-tapas-bars-restaurants
With few Catalans feeling like spending large sums on eating out, Barcelona's restaurants and bars are thinking up original ways of pulling in customers, especially the tapas bars<br /><br /><strong>Tell us about your favourite Barcelona tapas bar by adding a comment</strong><p>The financial crisis in Spain – the country saw its second national anti-austerity strike this year on 14 November, as prices and unemployment figures continued to rise – has dramatically altered its culture of eating out. This is particularly noticeable in Catalonia, which prides itself on its reputation as a gastronomic centre.</p><p>&quot;Everything has changed from when we opened six years ago,&quot; says chef Rafa Penya, of fine-dining restaurant <strong>Gresca</strong> (+34 93 451 6193, <a href="http://www.gresca.net/" title="">gresca.net</a>) in Barcelona's Eixample district.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/barcelona-cheap-tapas-bars-restaurants">Continue reading...</a>BarcelonaCataloniaFood and drinkBudget travelSpainRestaurantsBars and clubsSpanish food and drinkTravelFood & drinkFri, 23 Nov 2012 22:45:09 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/barcelona-cheap-tapas-bars-restaurantsGetty Images/Flickr RFWash down your caña of beer with a bread-based tapa. Photograph: Getty Images/Flickr RFAce Stock Limited/AlamyBar-celona … some Barcelona bars are offering a caña of beer or small glass of wine with a tapa for just €2. Photograph: Ace Stock Limited/AlamyGetty Images/Flickr RFWash down your caña of beer with a bread-based tapa. Photograph: Getty Images/Flickr RFAce Stock Limited/AlamySpain's economic crisis is forcing bars, shops, market stalls and newspaper kiosks, many of which usually shut in August, to remain open for business. Photograph: Ace Stock Limited/AlamyCecilia Gibbons2012-11-23T22:45:09Z